Groups, Towns Say Ohio Fracking Rules Fall Short

Environmentalists and local officials complain that proposed standards for extracting oil and gas from the shale beneath Ohio don't go far enough.

The Columbus Dispatch reports drilling firms won't have to reveal all the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. That's a horizontal drilling technique that releases natural gas from shale by breaking up the rock with chemical-laced water.

A regional organizer for the environmental group Earthworks says everything that goes underground should be reported. Communities want the state to require companies to be responsible for repairing roads damaged by truck traffic.

State officials say the proposed regulations could be revised, although they also say state law may need to be changed before more chemical disclosure can be required.